This invention relates to cooking facilities and particularly to a new, inexpensive and versatile rack for grilling or cooking a variety of meats, poultry and vegetables in a new and improved manner.
In barbecuing chicken legs, it is extremely difficult to cook the legs uniformly without burning. The legs must be constantly watched and rotated on the grill. Unfortunately, even with considerable attention, it is quite easy to burn the legs or cook the legs in a non-uniform manner. The present invention is designed to permit uniform cooking of a plurality of chicken legs without the problems associated with the prior art method. The invention comprises a unique rack, which holds the legs in a vertical position spaced at a predetermined distance above the fire for uniform cooking without the problem of burning. The versatile rack may also be used to cook other chicken parts and meats. Further, the rack may be placed on its side to cook beer can chicken with the can held by the slot wires and a cavity in the chicken placed over the beer can.
In the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,310 discloses a display device for supporting and displaying axe and shovel handles. The device includes a plurality of spaced parallel slots with openings at one end. The device is for a use different from the present invention and apart from apparent similarity of parallel slots, is different in structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,046 to Battaglia, et al discloses a rack for grilling chicken legs in a barbecue comprising a flat elongated rack surface including a plurality of slots to hold chicken legs in a vertical position at a predetermined distance above the grill. The slots are sized to support chicken legs by engaging the leg joint with the meaty leg portion extending vertically below the flat rack surface. Applicant's invention is an improvement on this design.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,869 is directed to an adjustable barbecue rack for supporting a plurality of spareribs. The device includes a plurality of racks removably secured to a main rack. Another version of a barbecue rack is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,585 wherein a cooking surface is defined by spaced rods formed in a particular manner.
One of the popular ways to cook chicken in various regions of the United States is to cook the chicken with a beer can inserted into a chicken cavity. The beer can is usually about one-half full and contains seasoning in addition to beer. The beer can is generally mounted on a holder and the whole chicken is mounted thereover. The moist seasoned steam permeates the chicken creating a uniquely flavorful chicken.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,551 to Hester discloses a method for roasting fowl wherein a wire frame supports a beverage can in an upright position. The beverage can is inserted into the cavity of a fowl that has been cleaned and seasoned. The wire structure of Hester is very dissimilar from applicants' design and is limited in application and versatility. The same applies to Hester's parent application now U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,452, which shows the same structure as divisional U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,551.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,792 to Gremillion discloses an integrated poultry and meat cooking apparatus having a collecting pan and a vertical steaming tube upon which meat or poultry is supported in an upright position during cooking.
Also of interest is applicants' U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/708,472 filed Mar. 5, 2004.
Other patents of general interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,677,906; 4,583,647; 4,765,584; 4,184,592; and, 4,542,684. None of the prior art patents mentioned above affect the patentability of the present invention which relates to a unique, efficient and inexpensive rack for cooking a wide variety of meats and poultry.